1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a connector, and relates in particular to a connector having an improved lance in a terminal accommodation chamber.
2. Related Art
A connector used, for the connection of a wire harness for an automobile, comprises: a conductive female terminal having a well-known structure; and a connector housing made of a synthetic resin that accommodates the terminal.
The terminal is formed of a conductive thin metal sheet. A pair of elastic curled portions, which are substantially crest shaped in cross section and which are used for making electrical contact, are formed on two opposing sides of a base plate. Each of the elastic curled portions has an inner slope and an outer slope (refer to a terminal (low insertion force terminal) previously proposed by the present applicant in JP-A-6-33373U).
The connector housing includes a terminal accommodation chamber for the terminal. The terminal accommodation chamber penetrates the connector housing from front side to rear side thereof. A terminal insertion port is formed at the rear of the connector housing, and a connection port for the other male terminal is formed at the front.
In the terminal accommodation chamber, a lance is formed for holding the accommodated terminal, and a permissible space is defined for elastic displacement relative to the lance. The lance has a rectangular cross-section and is shaped like an arm. A tongue shape distal end portion is formed at its tip. An engagement protrusion portion is formed at the vicinity of the distal end of the lance and projects toward the terminal. This protrusion portion is engaged with the elastic curled portions of the terminal and restricts movement in the removal direction. The permissible space for elastic displacement is a space that permits the elastic movement of the lance when the terminal is inserted.
For the related connector, the elastic curled portions of the terminal of the connector are substantially crest shaped. Therefore, when the terminal is inserted during the assembly process, the inner slopes of the elastic curled portions may scrape off the corners of the lance. Further, since the elastic curled portions abut upon the corners of the lance, it is apparently not possible for the terminal to be inserted smoothly (it feels as though the terminal impinges against the lance)
To solve the above problem, it is one objective of the present invention to provide a connector that permits a terminal to be smoothly inserted, while at the same time preventing damage to a lance, and wherein the displacement value for the lance is ensured when the terminal is inserted.
To achieve the above objective, according to the invention, a connector comprising:
a connector housing;
a terminal formed of a conductive thin metal plate including,
a base, and
a pair of elastic curled portions having a crest shape in cross section which are connected to opposite ends of the base portion and bent inward;
a terminal accommodation chamber for accommodating the terminal provided with a connector housing; and
a lance in the terminal accommodation chamber including,
a body portion extended in an insertion direction in which the terminal is inserted,
an engagement protrusion formed at the body portion for engaging with the terminal to restrict the terminal to move in a direction opposed to the insertion direction when the terminal is completely accommodated in the terminal accommodation chamber, and
a pair of taped portions along which the pair of elastic curled portion slides during the terminal moving along the terminal accommodation chamber.
According to the invention, the pair of tapered portions are tapered from a base portion to a distal end of the body portion.
According to the invention, the inclination of the pair of tapered portions substantially matches the inclination of the inner slopes of the pair of elastic curled portions.
According to the invention, when the terminal is inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber, the elastic curled portions of the terminal act on the lance. Then, the elastic curled portions elastically bend the lance while sliding along the tapered portions, and since the tapered portions are formed at that location on the lance against which the elastic curled portions of the terminal abut when inserted in the accommodation chamber, scraping of the lance by the elastic curled portions does not occur. Further, since the elastic curled portions abut against the tapered portions along which they slide, there is no feeling that the terminal has been rammed into the corners. In addition, since the elastic curled portions slide along and are guided by the tapered portions, when the terminal is inserted the same displacement value is ensured for the lance as in the related art.
According to the invention, the tapered portions along which the elastic curled portions slide are tapered from the base end of the lance to the distal end. Therefore, even in the presence of these tapered portions, an appropriate size can be obtained for the portions that engage the terminal, and the terminal can be securely held by the lance.
According to the invention, since the inclination of the tapered portions along which the elastic curled portions slide substantially matches the inclination of the inner slopes of the elastic curled portions, the elastic curled portions can more smoothly slide along the tapered portions.